Coughing. Sneezing. Itchy eyes. Runny nose. Scratchy throat. All common signs that allergy season is in full bloom. In severe cases, allergic reactions can also include rashes, hives, low blood pressure, breathing trouble, asthma attacks. May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, and a peak time to educate patients, family, friends, co-workers and others about these diseases and their impact on communities.
Did You Know?
- More than 60 million Americans overall have asthma and allergies*
- About 25 million Americans have asthma (19 million adults and 6.2 million children)*
- About 32 million Americans have food allergies (26 million adults and 6 million children)*
- About 21 million Americans have hay fever, rhinitis or nasal allergies (20 million adults and 5.6 million children)*
Allergies vs. COVID-19
With shelter in-place-orders still in effect in most parts of the country, and as concern surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many people may now be wondering what the differences are between the symptoms of allergies and novel coronavirus. Here is a look at some of the common symptoms:
| Symptom | Allergies | COVID-19* |
| Fever | X | ✔ |
| Cough | ✔ | ✔ |
| Shortness of Breath | X | ✔ |
| Headache and muscle ache | X | ✔ |
| Fatigue | ✔ | ✔ |
X Non-Symptom
✔ Common Symptom
NOTE: If you are experiencing these symptoms and suspect that you have COVID-19, please contact your healthcare provider and local or state health department immediately.
Get Tested
If common allergy symptoms have been bothering you, IgE blood tests can help determine your sensitization to allergic triggers, without the need for a skin prick test.
BioReference offers ImmunoCap regional respiratory profiles to help pinpoint specific allergens in your local area – such as mites, epidermal, food, grass, insect, mold, tree and weeds. We also offer food sensitivity testing that can assess whether you react to common food allergies, including almond, cashew, hazelnut, walnut, peanut, sesame, cod fish, salmon, tuna, scallop, shrimp, milk, soybean and wheat. Click here for more information about allergy testing.
Take Action
Throughout May, join the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America in dispelling the myths about allergies and asthma by sharing facts with your friends on social media.
If you are a healthcare provider, click here to become a client so you can begin ordering ImmunoCap allergy and other diagnostic tests from BioReference today!
*Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, ThermoFisher Scientific “allergy Insider”
